My wife and I picked up this small format bottle of teenage Caol Ila while at thew Cadenhead’s Shop in Campbeltown.  We grabbed a few other small bottles and just one full sized twenty-five year Ben Nevis as our luggage was getting looking overloaded, but wanted to bring home as many different goodies as we could. Thankfully some friends drove back from Campbeltown and offered to take our heavier bags so we did not have to worry about weighing down the small puddle jumper Logan Air runs between Glasgow and Campbeltown. The small format bottles certainly helped when it came time to pack our bags to leave Scotland… though just barely.

---

Whisky: Caol Ila 16 Year (2007), Cadenhead’s

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 53.4%

Cask: Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 16 Years (Distilled 2007, Bottled Aug. 2024)

Notes: The aroma was two parts classic Caol Ila and one part dirty seaside grill as a clear maritime brine and beachy minerals set the stage for eel and oily Saba crisping over hot charcoal. Dusty earth and dried grass lingered further in, the wind blowing in from a nearby pasture, while seasonings for the fish sat at the ready: a twist of citrus, parsley, and sweet soy sauce. Medium-bodied on the palate, the flavors were much the same, though a touch more acrid and peppery as dirty grill grates and charcoal ash came forward. Maritime with dusty earth and soot, grilled lemons and citrus sat further in, or came more quickly with water— occasionally medicinal as lemons and herbs turned into cough drops. The finish was medium-length with charred lemonade, ash, and a touch of oily fish skin.

---

Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Seafood Grill on Warm Night

Narrative & Notes: This was tasty, but I am glad we only got a small bottle of it. The flavors were a touch acrid and peppery for my taste, though the aroma was delightfully maritime and oily. Some of the more aggressive phenolic elements have begun to mellow out, and these teenage Caol Ila strike a wonderful balance between the aggressive and brutalist young peat smashers and their richer and more subdued older siblings— this had a bit of both.